The first day of school is a significant milestone, one parents love to document for friends and family. However, there are five steps advised to complete before posting pictures of children on social media.
Sharing advice for families who love back-to-school photos, NSPCC said: "Lots of families take back-to-school photos or videos at this time of year. It's a fun way to remember your child's first day back, or their first day at a new school."
The children's charity added: "You might choose to share those photos with friends and family. And there are many ways to do that, from Facebook to TikTok.
"If you do post photos or videos featuring your children, it's smart to be careful. A few easy steps can help keep your children's images safe."
The experts said: "Before you do anything, get savvy about social media settings, especially your privacy options. They can make all the difference to whether your child's images are protected, or not.
"Each social media platform has different settings you can adjust." First, it's advised to check your account's status.
Typically, if you have a private account, only your followers can see your posts. However, you should remember that your followers could reshare your images, and if your account is public, it's not just your followers who can see your posts.
Next, you'll want to take a deeper dive into your privacy settings. For example, Facebook users can choose who sees which posts and who can add them as friends.
The advice continued: "Some things you share on social channels will always be public, regardless of your settings - this can include profile photos. It's also a good idea to regularly check through your friends and followers and remove anyone you don't recognise or aren't comfortable with.
"You should also be able to restrict what some of your followers can see."
NSPCC advises against posting any information that identifies your child's school. This could include school logos, which can be edited out by various apps, and locations or hashtags in the text that identify the school.
The charity warns: "As AI tools become more advanced, it's important to understand how they can be used to manipulate images - including those of children. Photos shared online can be altered using AI to create false or misleading content.
"In some cases, this technology has been used to generate harmful material, including child sexual abuse content. AI-generated content can also be used in attempts to blackmail children, families or even schools.
"If you or your child ever receive a blackmail threat, it's vital not to engage. Instead, report it immediately. You can find advice and support on the Childline website."
Checking that your children are happy for you to take their photo and share it on social media is important for their well-being, the charity says. It also offers a positive example for them as it demonstrates good behaviour when sharing images of other people online.
NSPCC said: "You might want to take a group photo or video of your child and their friends as they go back to school. But it's important first to consider the privacy of other children and their parents' wishes.
"Check with the parents or carers first before you take a photo. Ask as well if they're ok with you posting it online, if that's your plan." More advice is available on the NSPCC website.